If you’re one of the many motorists who’ve been asking the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to establish more stringent processes for driver’s license applications, maybe this is what you’ve been waiting for.
The agency has just announced that beginning August 3, 2020, all its offices will be requiring driving course completion certificates for applications for student-driver permits, new driver’s licenses, and additional restriction codes. These certificates may only be issued by LTO-accredited driving schools, authorized instructors and administrators, and Driver Education Centers (DECs) in LTO offices.
There are two different types of certificates: one for the Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) and the other for the Practical Driving Course (PDC). Either type must be electronically transmitted to the LTO-IT System upon issuance.
The TDC certificates will be required from applicants applying for new student-driver permits, including foreigners as well as those with expired permits. To acquire this, the applicant must complete the necessary 15-hour course which we mentioned in our previous story.
Meanwhile, PDC certificates will be required from individuals applying for a new driver’s license, whether professional or non-professional, if their student-driver permits were issued from August 3 onwards. To acquire these PDC certificates, license holders must complete at least eight hours of practical driving lessons.
You should also take note that the LTO has temporarily suspended the issuance of student-driver permits from July 1 to August 2. However, accredited driving schools and DECs may still conduct the 15-hour seminars during this period, then simply commence transmitting the certificates to the LTO beginning August 3. You can check out the agency’s official announcement below:
What do you think of the LTO’s new license application process? Let us know in the comments.
